291-302).
600. It must be understood that the conjunction of man with heaven
and with hell is not a direct conjunction with them, but a mediate
conjunction by means of spirits who are in the world of spirits.
These spirits, and none from hell itself or from heaven itself, are
with man. By means of evil spirits in the world of spirits man is
conjoined with hell, and by means of good spirits there he is
conjoined with heaven. Because of this the world of spirits is
intermediate between heaven and hell, and in that world is
equilibrium itself. (That the world of spirits is intermediate
between heaven and hell may be seen in the chapter on the world of
spirits, n. 421-431; and that the essential equilibrium between
heaven and hell is there may be seen in the preceding chapter,
n. 589-596.) From all this the source of man's freedom is evident.
601. Something more must be said about the spirits that are joined
with man. An entire society can have communication with another
society, or with an individual wherever he is; by means of a spirit
sent forth from the society; this spirit is called the subject of the
many. The same is true of man's conjunction with societies in heaven,
and with societies in hell, by means of spirits from the world of
spirits that are joined with man.
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